Apparatus for launching revetment-mats.



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n. Man. SHEARER. APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING HEVETMENT MATS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6. 1915. v

Patented June o, 1917.

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Moa/Mya' Baier INVENTR D. MCD'. SHEARER. APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHINGREVETMENT MATS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6. |915.

Patelted .Tune 5, 191'?.

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D. McD. SHEARER. APPARATUS Fon LAuNcmmG REVETMENT MATS.

'APPLICATION FILED GCT. 6| ISIS.

Patented June 5, 191?.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5. 1915.

Patented June 5, 1917.

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Vu. MCD. SHEARER. APPARATUS FOR LAUNGHING REVETMENT MATS.

l APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6| |915. lgpe i. 1. l @MMM H il 1. T pil l, I@w mm- MHHTT., .Hi I i Wwwwwm J ,U ..Q.!MU l N., ma.

Ycumstances pass between and to be pull occasioned by DAVID IVLCDOUGALDSHEARER, 0F VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI.

APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING REVE'IMENT-MATS.

Application filed October 6, 1915. Serial No. 54,461. l

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, DAVID MCDSHEARER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Vicksburg, in the county of Warren and State ofMississippi, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor Launching Reve'tment-Mats, of which the following is a specication.l

This invention is an improvement in apparatus for launching'and layinrevetment mats, and is particularly adapted for use in connection withmy copending application, bearing Serial N o. 87 9,644.

Briefly stated, the invention consists in providing a plurality ofmooring barges, preferably arranged across the current of a stream orriver, and having connected therei to a launching barge or barges eachcarrylng a mechanism of novel construct1on adapted` to feed therevetment mats therefrom. This-launching barge is arranged'as nearlyparallelto the shore line as possible, and at substantially right anglesto the mooring bar es, and has associated therewith a material bargeloaded with a seriesv of relatively small superimposed unit mats, whichare adapted to be transferred to the launching barge by a suitable cranemechanism carried4 by the latter, and fabricated into the finalstructure'of mat.

An object of the invention is to provide a mat barge having a pluralityof inclined ways consisting of a series of rollers adapted to support--a mat and guide the same, 'the delivery end of said ways terminatingin a downwardly' curved launching frame, from which the mat passes intothe water. But it is to be understood that conveyer chains, cables, orbelts may be substituted for or used in connection with saidrollers, ascirmay warrant, to facilitate launching of the mat from the ways.

Another object is to provide a series of supply drums on the launchingbarge upon each of which is wound a cable adapted to p secured toadjacent rows of concrete slabs or blocks constituting the mat, and befed from said drums by suitable means including a power controlledfriction device adapted to prevent the too rapid launching of said mat,-which wouldv otherwise 'result from the heavy drag or the weight ofthat portion of the mat already launched.

A further object is the provision 'of a Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 19t?.

suitable means preferably carried by 'the launching barge and connectedto one of the mooring barges for moving the former outwardly toward thechannel of the river as the mat is being paid off into the water, a baralso beingassociated with said barges and engaged by said means forguiding the launching barge during said outward movement. v

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety ofmechanical expressions, some of which, for the purpose of illustratingthe invention, are shown in the accompanying drawings,'but it is to beeX- pressly understood that said drawin s are used merely to facilitatethe descriptlon of the invention as-a whole, and not to define thelimits thereof, reference being `had to the appended claims for thispurpose.

In the drawings Figure l is a diagrammatica-l illustration of the entireapparatus showing the relative positions of the different barges in abody of water when a mat is being launched.

Fig. 1f@l is a diagrammatic elevation of the launching or mat bargeshowing the manner in which the mat is laid. y

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the mat or launching barge. y

Fig. 3 is a verticalA transverse section of said barge on the line 3- -3of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged edge elevation of the friction device employed inconnection with the other mechanism for launching the mats. FFig. 5 is asection on the line 5.--5 of Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on theline 6-6 of F-ig. 8 of one embodiment for supporting and guiding the matonk the launching barge. l

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing another modification, and

4Fig. 8 is avview showing a still further modification.

Fig. 9 isa side elevation of another form `of mechanism for launchingthe mat.v

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates aseries of mooring barges, which are. preferably arranged end to end, andcross the current of the river, said barges being anchored orl moored inany `preferred manner.

A launching barge, generally indicatedv by 11, is associated with saidmooring barges, and arranged at substantially right` i track 13 carriedby the purpose of guiding said launching barge y angles thereto andparallel to the shore line. A traveler 12 is carried by the end of thelaunching barge 11 adjacent the mooring barges, and is adapted to engagea single the latter barges for said outward movement and includes indevbarge.

pendent drums 14 and 15 or power capstans upon which are mounted cables16 and 17 respectively. The cable 16 extends directly to the outer endof the outermost mooring barge, and is secured thereto, the same passingoverI a pulley `18-provided on'the launching barge 11. rlfhe cable 17likewise passes over a pulley 19 adjacent pulley 18 and then extendsalong the edge of the launching barge to pulleys 20, after which saidcable is extended to the outermost mooring barge where the same issecured thereto..

By operating a power unit generally illustrated at 21, the cables 16 and17 may be wound upon their respective drums, andthe barge moved outwardinto the river as the mat is being delivered therefrom and `heldparallel to the current. Y

A material barge 22'is secured to the outer longitudinal side of thelaunching barge and is adapted to have superimposed sections of the mats.loaded or cast thereon. These unit sections of the mat are adapted tobe transferred from the material barge to the launching barge and therejoined into the structure of the mat as the laying of the matprogresses, and ,for this purpose there is provided a traveling cranegenerally indicated by 23, and mounted on tracks 24 extendinglongitudinally of the launching barge along the edge adjacent thematerial The launching barge 11' may be of any preferred constructionand has mounted above its upper deck the supports 25 of the launchingways 27 which are inclined transversely of the barge and have theirlowermost portions adjacent the delivery edge thereof, asbestillustrated in Fig. 3. In the modification shown in Fig. 6 these waysinclude angle irons 27 between which are journaled rollers 28 forsupporting the adj acent portions of the mat. These ways preferablyextend over thedownwardly curved edge of the barge, as shown in Fig. 2.The gunwale of the barge 11 along the delivery edge thereof has mountedthereon a plurality of arcuatesheave supporting frames 32, there beingtwo ways 26 for each frame.

'- Each of these .frames has j ournaled therein a plurality of sheaves 29 the bearing surfaces of which have the same radius as that of therollers 28 mounted on the curved eX- tremity of the ways.

ln the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 the arcuate frame 27 consists of apair of angle irons in which is journaled a stub shaft upon the ends ofwhich are mounted rollers 28 which form the ways, a sheave 29 beingmounted between said angle irons. In the further embodiment illustratedin Fig. 8 the supporting and guiding means consists of a single roller28 having an annular groove 29 intermediate its ends and adapted toreceive the cable 31, said roller being journaled in the frame 27,.These sheaves-extend only from the upper terminus of the frames to thelowermost portions thereof where the mat enters the water. They are alsoarranged as closely together as possible so that the effect of a perfectcurve may be lsecured as nearly as consistent.

As the mat travels down the inclined ways 25 the same passes upon therollers and sheaves ofthe frames 32 and is guided from thence off intothe water, as shown in Fig. 3. It is to be understood that before thatportion of the mat on the inclined ways is launched, the free edges ofthe constituent units of the fabrication in said portion of mat are tiedto the cables 31 thus forming a continuous structure of mat. The barge11 may be provided with a ballast tank 33 in order to counteract theweight vof the mat as the same is being placed in very deep water. v

Means are provided in connection with each of .'thecables` 31 to preventthe rapid launching of the mat from the barge which would be occasionedby the drag or pull' exerted by that portion of said mat, which hasalready been launched. For this purpose each of the cables 31 isoriginally -wound upon a separate drum 34 which may be the originalcommercial reels on which the cable or strand has been purchased,journaled in the framework of -the barge 11, as shown in Fig. 3, saidcable leading from said drum over a pulley 35, also journaled in theframework of the barge, and from thence,'following` the direction of thearrows, to the friction device generally indicated by 36 and bestillustrated in Figs. 4

and 5. This friction device includes a pair of grooved friction' sheaves37 ovei which o rder to secure the required amount of frictionalresistance. The cable then follows the direction of the ,arrows in Fig.4 and passes upwardly to the inclined -ways 25 and thence over a pulleyy38 and between said ways. Journaled and keyed upon the same shaft withthe sheaves 37 are the gear wheels 39 which form a portion of a train ofgearing for operating said sheaves ,in

nasales unison to cause the cable to be wheel 40 is also associated withthe smaller gears 39, and said gear 40 is in turn driven by a small gear41 detachably keyed upon the drive shaft 42. This drive shaft isoperatedby a gear 43 moun'ted upon one end thereof and driven by a suitablesource of power 44 mounted upon the barge.' It is to be understood thatthis shaft 42 extends the entire length of the barge so that the samewill operate all of the devices 36 simultaneously. If desired, thesedevices may be operated separately by' throwing the small gear 41 out ofmesh with the large gear 40, whereupon a small gear 45, shown in Fig. 3,may be thrown into mesh with the gear 40 and operated by a detachablehandwheel 46. In this manner each of the devices 36 may be individuallyactuated and, when not in use the hand-wheel may be dismounted.

Interposed between one of the gears 39 and gear 40"'is ,a'f"brake flange47 over which is passed a'brake band 4S, the latter being in conjunctionwith another band also mounted over a similar brake flange formed uponthe drum or reel 34. Means are provided for adjusting the tension ofthis brake band against the flanges, and consists'of a crank shaft 49connected to said brake band and operated by a steam cylinder 50 carried`by the barge 11. This crank shaft is so mounted that the greaterbraking power may be exerted on`the flange 47 and the lesser amount onthe flange of the reel or drum. It is to be understood that an averageamount of braking power is applied to these -flanges at all times sothat the cable 31 will notbe unwound from its respective drum toorapidly. This mechanism, including the .brake band 48, operated by the power unit 50, is preferably used merely as an emergency check wheneverdesired and as a means by which the drum 34 .and the mechanismillustratedin Figs. 4 and 5 may be operated against frietionalrestraint.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the operation-oflaying a revetment mat consists in first arranging the diderent bargesas illustrated in Fig. 1, with the launching bange close to the shore.'A layer of concrete slabs or concrete mat'units of construction is thentransferred from the carrier material barge bythe crane 23 to theinclined ways 26, where the different slabs or unit Vsections of mat arejoined to the cables 31. The mechanism for drawing the barge outwardlytoward the channel of the river and which includes the cables 16 and 17is then operated, whereupon the portion of the mat upon the launchingbarge will gradually be fed therefrom, on o eragradually v tion to belaid will overlap that of the pre.

ceding one.' During the entire processof laying themat, the weight ofthe portion is entirely supported by the cables 3l which pass over thedifferent sheaves 29 mounted in frames 32, which fact avoids injury tothat portion of said mat on the launching ways.

In the construction shown in Fig. 9 the barge 11 has a flatsuperstructure 51 in contradistinction to the inclined supports 25 as`shown in Fig. 3. The delivery edge of the barge is provided with arcuatesheave supporting frames 52 similar in construction width 0fsuspendedvto the frames 32, and said frames 52 have mounted therein sheaves 53.The rollers 28 employed in the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 are replaced,in Fig. 9, by an endless conve er chain 54 mounted u on s rockets 55y ytlg l) and 56 carried by the sha s 57 and 58, respectively, which extendlongitudinally of the barge. These conveyer chains 54 are arranged atintervalsalong the barge and support and convey the mat to the deliveryend of said barge. The shafts 57 and 58 are operated by means of a drivechain 59 mounted upon a lspocket wheel 60 carried by Said shaft 58 andalso-a similar sprocket wheel 61 associated withthe bevel gear 62.Another bevel gear 62 and is geared by a shaft 64 which extends throughthe friction brake device 65 which is similar in construction to thebrake device 36 shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This shaft 64 has mountedthereon av gear wheel 66 63 meshes with the gearl which meshes with aworm shaft 67 connected'to the source of power 44 shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawing. 1t will thus be seen that the operation of the shaft 67 willdrive the conveyer chains 54 to launch the mat from the barge and alsopay any cable 68 at the same rate of speed.

Cables 68, similar to the cables 31, are also employed and are mountedupon supply drums 69 from which the same are passed around the pulleys70 and from thence to the brake devices 65 which prevent'the rapidlaunching of the mat from the barge, said cables68 passing over a pulley7 0 arranged to the mat as previously described. 1n addition to thebrake devices 65, there is shown in Fig. 9 another brake device assoandbeing ciated with the drum 69 and including a 130 Y shoe 71 pivoted at72 and having an arm '73 ma. may

extending on the other side of said pivot to which is connected a weight7 4 which causes a frictional engagement of the shoe 71 against the drum69 and.v thereby prevents the cable from unwinding too rapidly from saiddrum, thus furnishing the initial restraint necessary to insure properfunctioning of the cable controlling mechanism 65 in developing therequired degree ofv friction with cable 68.

1. An apparatus for laying revetment mats comprising a plurality of'mooring barges, a launching barge connected thereto, a material bargeassociated with said launching barge, means for transferring the matsfrom the material barge to said launching barge, means for controllingdelivery of said mat from said launching barge, and means formoving saidlaunching barge longitudinally of said mooring barges as the mat isbeing launched. V

2. An apparatus for laying revetment `mats comprising a plurality ofmooring barges, a launching barge connected thereto, a material bargeassociated with said launching barge, means for'transferring the matsfrom the material barge to said launching barge, means for controllingdelivery of said mat from saidv launching barge, means for moving saidlaunching barge longitudinally of said mooring barges, as the l mat isbeing launched, and means for guiding said launching barge during itslongitudinal movement.

3. An apparatus for laying revetment mats, comprising a plurality ofmooring barges arranged transversely of the current or stream, alaunching barge movable longitudinally of said mooring barges 'and insubstantially parallel relation to the shore line, and means forlaunching the unit mats from said launching barge.

d. An apparatus for laying revetment mats, barges arranged transverselyof the current or stream,` a launching barge movable longitudinally ofsaid mooring barges and in substantially parallel relation to the shoreline, means for launching the unit mats from said launching barge, andmeans including iiexible members connecting said launching barge lwithone of said mooring barges for moving the former outwardly from theshore as the laying of the mat progresses.

5. An apparatus cfor laying revet'ment mats, comprising a plurality `ofmooring barges arranged or stream, a launching barge movablelongitudinally of said mooring barges and in comprising a plurality ofmooringf transversely of the current isaaisa arallel relation to theshore substantially or launching the unit mats and a materialr other,cable carrying devices mounted in said barge, launching cables carriedby said devices and to which the mats are to be secured at oppositesides, mechanismfor moving the barge to feed the mat therefrom, afriction device associated with each of said cable carrying devices andincluding fric'- tion sheaves over which said cable passes, and anadjustable brake band for controlling the speed with which the cable is-fed from said devices.

7. ln an apparatus for laying yrevetment mats, a barge havingtransversely` extending inclined ways, and sheaves lbetween the ways, acable carrying drum mounted on the barge, guides between the drum andthe in-` clined Ways, a launching cable to which mats are to be securedat opposite sides, said cable passing from the drum over the guidesbetween the way and over the sheaves,

8. lin an apparatus for laying revetment mats, a barge havingtransversely extending roller ways and sheaves between the rollers, acable carrying drum mounted on thevbarge, a friction' device on thebarge adjacent the drum, a launching cable to which mats are to besecured at opposite sides, passing from the drum to the friction deviceand from said` friction device over the sheaves between the ways, andmeans for operating the friction device to feed the cable and mats fromthe barge.

9.v ln an apparatus for laying revetment mats, a barge havingtransversely extending ways, sheaves between the ways, a cable carryingdrum mounted on the barge, a pair of friction sheaves geared together, alaunching cable leadin from the drum, around the friction sheaves andfrom said sheaves tb and over the sheaves between the said ways and towhich mats are to be secured at opposite sides, and means for opsaidcable` and means for feeding the cable from the drum.

over and f erating the friction sheaves to feed the cable l W. P. Hman,D. Nonna.

